Mechanical drive device



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Aug, Z, E946. H, w @GFF MECHANICAL DRIVE DFVIGE 2 shees-sheet 1 Filed Sept. 50, 1943 ATTORNEY ga 2Q, H. W GQFF MECHANICAL DRIVE DEVICE www Filed sept. 3o', 1943 40 a5 36 ,sa

/NVENTOR By H Mfr @05F j @m/MM from/EY Patented Aug. 20, 1946 2,406,012 MECHANICAL DRIVE DEVICE Harold W. Goff, Manhasset, N. Y., assignor to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated,

New

York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 30, 1943,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanical drive devices and more particularly to mechanical drive devices operable as a' drive connecting means be tween a driven apparatus and another apparatus to be driven.

The object of the invention is to provide a mechanical drive device suitable for use as a driving means between a driving shaft and -a shaft to be driven, the second mentioned shaft being operated during only portions of the time the driving shaft is operated.

Features of the invention reside in a clutch operable to drive connect two members at one point, a dog to connect the two members at another point, a trigger to control the dog and a traveler carried by and movable along one of the members and carrying means to control the operation of the clutch and trigger.

Another feature resides in a spring means operating to hold one of the members in a required position while another member is being operated.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the mechanical drive device;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, partly in section, of the mechanical drive device viewed from below Fig. 1 and with certain parts omitted to permit a better view of some of the other parts;

Fig. 3 corresponds in general to Fig. 1 but shows some of the parts moved to different positions; and

Fig. 4 is an end View, partly in section, of the mechanical drive device taken on the lines 4-4 in Fig. 1.

In certain apparatus operable to determine the location of a target relative to an observing station and to compute in electrical values the location of the target, it is found advantageous to have a means for mechanically driving an electrical device in a computer during only a portion of the time a target locating means is being operated to locate the target, the target locating apparatus being operated during the entire time the target is being observed and the computer being operated only when the target is within predetermined distances from the observing station.

As an example, and not in the sense of limiting the invention, the apparatus for locating the target may be operable to locate the target when the target is 40,000 yards from and approaching the observing station and the computer should be operated only during the time the target is within 28,000 yards of the observing station. Under this condition it is found advantageous to Serial N0. 504,389

2 have a mechanical drive device operable to drive connect the target observing apparatus to the computer apparatus only when the target is within 28,000 yards of the observing station.

The present invention provides a mechanical drive device which may be kused as a mechanical driving means between a driven member in a target observing apparatus and a member to be driven in an electrical computer apparatus. The device contains'certain parts which may be adjusted to change the range factor of the mechanical drive device.

As shown in Figs. l, 2 and 3, in the drawings the mechanical drive device comprises two longitudinally aligned rotatable shafts 5 and 0 supported in low friction type bearings 1 and 8, respectively, which are supported in a stationary U-shaped body 9. The shaft 5 has a left-hand male threaded portion I0 and one end of the shaft 5 is reduced in diameter as shown at II to project into a bearing I2 mounted in a recess I3 formed in one end of the shaft 6. The bearing is located in a recess I4 formed in a boss I5 of the body 0 and is retained in place by means of a flange I6 secured on the outer end of the boss I5 by means of screws I'I.

The shaft 5 may be rotated through the operation of any suitable means and which may be, for instance, a crank I8 operable to turn a shaft I9 and which may be part of a rotating mechanism in a target observing apparatus, not shown. The shaft I9 is shown as being rotatably supported in stationary supports 20--20 and is equipped with a pinion 2l in mesh with an antiback lash gear system 22 comprising two gear wheels 23 and 24 mounted in face to face relation on the shaft 5 and gears 25 and 2.5, the latter of which is secured by means of a pin 21 to the shaft 5. Since the present invention does not reside in the anti-back lash gear system shown and other anti-back lash gear systems may be used in place thereof, it seems unnecessary to include in this specification a detail description of the parts ofthe anti-back lash system shown in the drawings. It will be understood, however, that. the anti-back lash gear system is provided to prevent back lash between the rotation of the pinion 2| and the shaft 5.

Supported on the shaft 5 and operable therealong by means of. the thread on the male threaded portion I0 is a traveler 28 comprising a ring 29, a flanged hub 30 and an L.shaped arm SI. The hub 30 is internally threaded to receive the threaded portion I0 of the shaft 5 and the flanged body 32 of the hub 30, as shown in Fig. 2,

is clamped to the ring 29 by means of a body portion 33 of the arm 3| and screws 341-34. The body portion 33 of the arm 3| is substantially annular in formand is apertured to receive the shank portions of the screws 311-34 which enter tapped holes formed in the ring 29. The anged body 32 of the hub 3B is entered in a recess formed in the ring 29 and is held in place by means of the body portion 33 of the arm 3! when the screws 34-34 are tightened.. The arm 3| extends radially of the shaft and near its outer end is bent to provide an angularly extending end portion 35 which extends in parallel spaced relation with the shaft 5 and terminates-in twovvs'paced lugs Sli-3S only one of which is visible in the drawings, the lug not visible being directly under the one shown in Figs.` 1 and 8. The end portion 35 on the arm 3| serves as a support for a tripper bar 37 which is adjustably supported on the end portion 35 of the arm 3|. The tripper bar 37 comprises a fiat lbar portion 38 and a plate portion 39 which extends inwardly toward the shaft 5. The barl portion 38 is secured to the outer surface of the end portion 35 of the arm 3| by means of a screw 45, the threaded shank il of which is engaged in a tapped hole formed in the end portion 35. The shank of the screw 48 is enlarged at 42 and an elongated aperture 43 is provided in the bar portion 38 to accommodate the portion 42 of the screw 45. rlhe elongated aperture 43 is longer than the diameter of the portion 42 of the screw 4i! so that when the screw 49 is loosened the tripper bar 37 may be adjusted lengthwise along the end portion 35 cf the arm 3| Part of the bar portion 38 of the tripper bar 3'! extends between the spaced lugs 35--35 to prevent pivoting of the tripper bar 37 on the screw 48. Y

vTo prevent the traveler 28 from turning on the shaft 5 a post 44 is provided which extends in parallel spaced relation with the shaft 5 and through an aperture 45 in the arm 3|. The post 44 is mounted at one end in a frameV 46 secured by means of screws 47 to one end 'of the body 9. When the shaft 5 is rotated the traveler 28 is moved along the shaft 5 due to the turning of the male threaded portion Il! of the shaft 5 in the hub 38 which is held against rotation by means of the arm 3| and the post 44. Rotation of the shaft 5 in one direction causes movement of the traveler 2S in one direction along the shaft 5. By reversing the rotation of the shaft 5 the traveler 23 may be returned along the shaft 5 to its original starting position.

The traveler 28 performs two functions, one of which is to operate a clutch device 48 part of which is mounted on and rotatable with the shaft 5. Another part of the clutch device 48 comprising a wheel 49 which is secured to the shaft 6. `When the clutch device 48 is operated in one direction, it serves as a means to, in effect, drive connect the shaft 5 to the shaft 5 for rotation of the shaft 6 in one direction. The other function of the traveler 28 is to carry the plate 35 into and out of engagement with a trigger 58 to control the operation of the trigger 59, the function of which will be subsequently explained.

The clutch device 48 comprises a rocker 5l having side members 52 and 53 through which pins 54 and 55 respectively extend, the pins 54 and 55 being also extended through apertures in the side members 56 and 57 of a yoke type bracket 58,

t members 52 plained. The pins 54 4 The disc $0 is apertured at 62 to permit thrusting therethrough of a part of the clutch device 48 and is provided with an annular boss 63 in which is housed a partially wound-up wind-up spring 64 a slot 65 in the boss 63 and bent over the outer surface of the boss 63 to anchor one `end of the spring 64 to the disc 6l). The inner end of the spring 64 is secured by means of a rivet 67 to an annular boss 68 on the wheel 49. The purpose of the spring 64 will be subsequently exand 55 are mounted in apertured bars 69 and 78 respectively which are secured by means of the respective screws 7| and 72 to the side members 52 and 53 respectively of the rocker 5|. Since the pins 5d and 55 extend through about the central portions of the side and 53 respectively of the rocker 5| and through the corresponding side members 55 and 57 of the yoke 58 the rocker 5| is pivotally supported and may be rocked relative to the inner face 73 of the disc G. The side member 52 of the rocker 5| is considerably extended in one direction from the pivotal point of support of the rocker 5| to provide a finger 74 which will engage the inner face 73 of the disc Gil to limit one end of the rocker 5| is a wall 75 which extends in spaced relation with the inner face 73 of the disc 66. A helical spring 75 is located between the inner face of the wall 75' and the inner face 73 of the disc 68, one end of the spring 76 ,being disposed in a recess 77 formed in the inner face 73 of the disc 65 and the other end of the spring 7S being telescoped over an eX- tended end portion of a rivet 78 secured to the wall 75 and extending toward the inner face 73 of the disc 50. The spring 76 normally urges the rocker 5| into such position that the linger 74 engages the inner face 73 of the disc 50 as shown in Fig. l. The wall 75 is continued over and slightly beyond one end of the rocker 5| to provide an end wall 79 extending toward the inner face 73 of the disc 66. A T-shaped bar 88 is adjustably mounted on the end wall 7S by means of screws ill- 8| only one of which is shown, the screws 8l`8| extending through relatively large apertures formed in the cross member of the bar 80 and into screw threaded engagement with the end wall 79. The stem 82 of the bar 88 extends into the aperture 62 formed in the disc 50.

As shown in Fig. 1 the upper end 83 of the wall 75 normally extends into the path of movement of the hub 35 of the traveler 28 and the forward end of the hub 3D is bevelled at 84 so that when the traveler 28 is moved forwardly along the shaft 5 the upper edge 83 of the wall 75 will be, in effect, cammed by the bevelled portion at 84 to rock the rocker 5| on its pivotal points of suppont and against the action of the helical spring 75, the result being that the stem 82 of the T- shaped bar BQ is projected .a considerable distance through the aperture 62 in the disc 60 and to the position shown in Fig. 3. Since the disc 60 as above mentioned is secured to the shaft 5 and the rocker 5| is mounted on the yoke 58 which the stern 82. Upon engagement of the stem 82 with the block 85 and continued rotation of the parts shaft the wheel 49 and the shaft to which the wheel 49 is secured are rotated in the same direction as the shaft 5. It will be seen, theref-ore, that the clutch device 49 operates, in effect, to drive connect the driven shaft 5 to the shaft to be driven which in this case is the shaft 9.

Supported on the inner face 95 of the wheel 49 and extending over and in spaced relation with the outer edge of the disc 90 are two spaced pins 81 and 89 and a stud 89 as shown in Fig. 4. A dog 99 equipped with a spring 9i is pivotally supported on the pin 81 and arranged to engage a notch 92 formed in the outer edge of the disc 99, the dog 99 being operated by meansof the Spring 9i to engage the notch 9?.. A finger 93 is provided on the dog 99 and arranged to be engaged by a finger 94 on the trigger 59 to release the dog 99 from engagement with the notch 92,' the trigger 59 being pivotally supported on the pin 88 and having in addition to the finger 94, a finger 95 to be engaged by the plate 39 and a finger 95 to engage the stud B9, the finger 99 and the stud 89 servingincooperatio-n as a stop to limit rotation of the trigger 59 on the pin 89' in one direction.

To explain the operation of the mechanical drive device above described and not in the sense of limiting its use thereto, it will be assumed that the shaft 5 is connected to some target observing means,. not shown, and the shaft 9 is connected to a rotatable wiper contact means in a potentiometer employed in an electrical computer. Also, that theshaft 5 has been rotated to bring the wiper contact means to a stop provided at one end of travel of the wiper contact means over a resistance winding, the spring 94 has been partly wound up to hold the wheel 49 and the shaft 9 against such movement as would cause the wiper contact means in the potentiometer to be moved away from the stop and it is desired to rotate the shaft 5 to operate the target observing means over its range of movement. It will also be assumed that during a first part of this range of movement, it is necessary to rotate the shaft 5 in a right-hand turning movement without causing corresponding rotation of the shaft B and that when the target observing means has been operated Aover part of its range of movement and is continued in operation in the same direction and into a predetermined range of movement for the potentiometer in the electrical computer, it is necessary that the shaft 6 be rotated in the same direction as the shaft 5.

Under the conditions mentioned above the initially in In this case the traveler the hub 39 is not in engagement with the rocker 5l, the stem 82 is retracted into the aperture 52 in the disc 99 and entirely clear of the block 95 on the wheel 49 and the plate 39 on the tripper bar 31 is bearing against the finger 95 of the trigger 59 so that the trigger 59 and the dog 99 are vin the dot-dash line positions shown in Fig. 4. The `dog199 is therefore held out of engagement with the notch 92 against the action of the spring 9|. By operating the crank 'I8 in the required direction the shaft 5 may be rotated in a righthand turning movement. During the first part of this turning movement the energy stored in the spring v94 urges the wheel 49 against a right-hand turning movement thereof and keeps the finger 95 of the trigger 59 so pressed against the plate 39 of the tripper bar 31 that the trigger 59 holds the dog 99 out of engagement with the notch 92. 75

i tion shown in Fig. 3

The disc 69, therefore, is not drive connected to the wheel 49 and the wheel 49 and shaft 6 are held by means of the energy storedn the spring 54 against right-hand turning movements which might otherwise occur through slight frictional coupling of the parts. The'wiper contact in the potentiometer in the electrical computer will therefore be held against movement from its starting position until the shaft 9 is properly turned. A continued right-hand turning movement applied to the shaft 5 will bring the traveler 28 into such position that the bevelled portion 94 on the hub 39 will engage the edge 83 of the wall 15 on the rocker 5l. By engagement of these parts the rocker 5i will be rocked on its pivotal point of support so that the spring 16 will be compressed and the stem 92 of the bar 89 will be projected toward the innerfface 86 of the wheel 49. The tripper bar 31 will also be moved so 39 will be almost out of engagement with the trigger 59. Still further rotation of the shaft 5 in the same direction will cause the hub 39 to become more fully in engagement with the edge 83 of the Wall 15 and will carry the tripper bar 31 to such' position that the plate 39 will not be in engagement with the trigger 59. The stem 82 of the bar 89 will also be carried further through the aperture 92 and nearer to the inner face 85 of the wheel 49. When the parts have been moved to the positions last described and are in the posifurther right-hand turning movements of the shaft 5 will be transmitted to the shaft 9 so that the shaft 5 will be rotated in a right-hand turning movement corresponding to the movement of the shaft 5, the disc 69 and the wheel 99 being, in effect, drive connected at two points, one being the engagement of the stem 82 of the bar 89 against the block 85 on the wheel 49 and the other being engagement of the dog 99 on the wheel 49 with the notch 92 in the disc 59 With the parts in the positions shown in Fig. 3 and upon rotation of the shaft 5 in a left-hand rotational movement the following changes in the operations of the parts will take place in the order mentioned.

l. The left-hand rotating movement applied to the shaft 5 will be transmitted to the shaft 9 since the dog 99 is in engagement with the notch 92.

2. The traveler 28 will be'moved back along the shaft 5 by means of the threaded portion i9 on the shaft 5.

3. The trigger the Wheel 49.

4. The plate 39 on the tripper vbar 31 willbe moved into the path of movement of thetrigger 59 which is being carriedaround on the wheel 99. At this stage the hub 39 will be in such position relative to the rocker 5| that the edge 83 of the wall 15 is almost on the bevelled portion 84 of the hub 39.

59 will be carried around by 5. Engagement of the trigger 59 with the plate' 39 will stop further left-hand rotations of the wheel 49 and the shaft 6. It will also cause operation of the trigger 59 to release the dog 99 from engagement with the notch 92 in the disc 59.

6. Continued rotation of the shaft v5 in the same direction will cause the hub 39 of the traveler 28 to be removed from engagement with the wall 15 of the rocker 5| thereby allowing the rocker 5i to be rocked back to normal position by means of the spring 16 and so that the stem 82 of the bar 89 is retracted into the aperture 92 in the disc 69. l

'7. Further rotation of the shaft 5 in the tial'ly UnWOllnd, the Winding up `0f the Spring 64 means for drive connecting 'a first -rotatableshaft Starting immediately after the Wheel@ iS StOpped toa second rotatable shaft in accordance with a against further rotation. predetermined program requiring that the rst 3. The Spring energy deVelODedin the spring shaft shall ybe rotated a predetermined'number 64 operates t0 prevent the Wheel 49 and shaft E of turns while the second shaft `is held stationary flOm I'Otaiing in EL 'Tight-hand. turning mOVG- and the second shaft shall lloe rotated in accord- Wiper Contact ofthe potentiometer Will remain of the 'rst shaft, and comprising a rst rotatable 9- The Shaft 5 may be Continued in rotation 15 rotatable members being supported by means of in the same direction until the traveler 28 is res turned to the position shown in Fig. 1 or until on Said apertured rot the ring 29 engages the end of the body 9. one end of Sad rock It Will be seen by looking at Fig. l that the member, a screw thread on said first shaft and said stem will engage the block on said block- 30 ond shaft to be driven in accordance with a prerocker carried by said rst shaft, a stem on said d rst shaft Whensaid rst shaft is rotated, said traveler being operable to rock said rocker to move said stem into position to engage said block during part of the traveler 28. the rotatable movement of said rst shaft and o 5f' determmed part of its range Without operating a screvv thread on said shaft, a traveler supported target observing means that it will be rotated a rocker Supported on sind dlsc m the path of when the target observing means is swept over a ffiolflfnaor tailglhsport n certain range. The wiper arm of the potenfa ap u e tiometer in the electrical computer may be so t Connected to the shaft 6 that the Wiper arm will V65 support said second shaft, a wheel secured to sald Wheel from ybeing rotated relative to said dise, a

shaft 5 with respect to the shaft 6. Y 75 into position to engage said block to transmit rotations of the iirst mentioned shaft to said second shaft, and said device being operable to permit the first mentioned shaft to be rotated a predetermined number of turns without causing said second shaft to 'be rotated and then upon continued rotation of the rst mentioned shaft to, in eiect, couple the first -mentioned shaft to said second shaft.

4. A mechanical drive device comprising la support, an externally threaded driving shaft supported in said support, means to rotate said shaft, a second rotatable shaft supported in alignment with said driving shaft, means to support said second shaft, an apertured rotatable member secured to said driving shaft, a second rotatable member secured to said second shaft, a block on said second rotatable member, said rotatable members being supported in parallel spaced relation, a partially wound up wind-up spring located between said rotatable members, one end of said spring being secured to said apertured rotatable member and the other end being secured to said second rotatable member, a rocker supported on said apertured rotatable member, a stem on said rocker extending through the aperture in said apertured rotatable member and operable by means of said rocker to project into the space between said rotatable members, a return spring in said rocker, a notched portion on said apertured rotatable member, a dog and a trigger pivotally supported on said second rotatable member and extending over the notched portion of said apertured rotatable member, said dog being operable to engage in the notch on said notched portion and said trigger being operable to release said dog from said notched portion, atraveler supported on said driving shaft and in screw threaded engagement with said driving shaft, a post supported on said support and operating to prevent rotation of said traveler, said traveler being operable along said driving shaft to engage and rock said rocker to project said stem into the space between said members to a position to engage said block when said members are relatively otated, a tripper bar supported on said traveler and carried by means of said traveler into and out of engagement with said trigger, said device being operable, when said driving shaft is rotated in one direction, to allow said driving shaft to rotate without rotating said second shaft and then later operating to drive connect said driving shaft to said second shaft by engagement of said stem with said block, said tripper operating to permit said dog to engage said notched portion to prevent relative rotation of said members, and said device being operable when a reverse rotation is applied to said driving shaft to at first have both shafts rotate, then later trip said trigger by means of said tripper bar to release said dog from said notched portion and stop said second shaft, then move said traveler away from said rocker to allow said stem to be withdrawn from the space between said members, said apertured member being then rotated by further rotations of said driving shaft to further wind-up said wind-up spring to hold said second rotatable member and said second shaft against movement from their stopped position.

HAROLD W. GOFF. 

